The Forest

Sacred peepul and jamun trees at Guru Kripa Forest Hermitage

When visitors see the Forest Hermitage land they often wonder, “Where is the forest?” There were only two trees on the land when it was purchased: a large peepul tree and a jamun tree — two very sacred trees in India. The peepul is considered the most sacred tree in many eastern religions, including Hinduism. After spending time on the land the last two years, we’ve seen that these trees have been the guardians of this place, keeping the land holy until our arrival. Local people tell us they are about seventy years old. 

While searching for land, we met our new neighbors at Aanandaa Permaculture Farm. Most of the land for sale in the region is farmland —  but we weren’t intending to be farmer monks. True forest land is rare in India, except in the mountain regions.

A large beehive (3 ft. across) in the peepul tree. These bees are very gentle and friendly.

After seeing Aanandaa and their success with trees, the way forward was made clear. Trees grow remarkably fast in India. They too had mostly barren land, with just six native palm trees on their similarly sized property. Thousands of trees on their land have grown so quickly in just twelve years that we saw, “This is how we can build a forest monastery!” Our Aanandaa friends already live in a forest, evident every time we visit. Their forest also sustains a diverse range of vegetables and fruit trees, embodying the concept of a permaculture food forest.

Over one hundred trees have already been planted at the Hermitage and are thriving. Now that the siting of buildings is nearly complete, we will be able to properly place and plant many more trees in the next year.

We’ve planted more than 34 different native, flowering, medicinal, fruiting, and windbreak tree varieties. Fruit trees planted so far include several mango, litchi, guava, jackfruit, jamun, and mulberry, totaling fifteen fruit trees.

Triveni

The head monks of the Ananda U.S. and India monasteries, Brahmachari Prashad and Nayaswami Devarshi, helping to plant the sacred triveni trees at the Hermitage

The most sacred planting at the Hermitage is the Triveni. Triveni is a traditional planting in villages and near temples throughout India. Three trees — banyan, peepul, jamun — are planted very close to each other. They represent the three aspects of the Hindu trinity: Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva. 

The banyan tree we planted in the Triveni has an unusual and blessed history. In October 2022, several of us went on a pilgrimage to Serampore, near Kolkata, with Nayaswamis Jyotish and Devi, spiritual directors of Ananda Sangha worldwide. One day we visited Rai Ghat, where there is a banyan tree that features prominently in Autobiography of a Yogi. Mahavatar Babaji miraculously appeared to Sri Yukteswar under that tree — many Ananda pilgrims visit there each year.

We collected seeds from the falling fruit, planted them, and obtained a few banyan seedlings. One of those seedlings is now part of the Triveni, a first-generation child of the Babaji Banyan Tree.

The Triveni is located right next to where our meditation temple will be built. The fruits of sadhana and meditation are said to be quickly hastened when done under a Triveni.

Sri Yukteswar describes his meeting with Babaji under the Rai Ghat banyan tree:

“The morning after I had concluded my literary efforts,” Master [Sri Yukteswar] continued, “I went to the Rai Ghat here to bathe in the Ganges. The ghat was deserted; I stood still for awhile, enjoying the sunny peace. After a dip in the sparkling waters, I started for home. The only sound in the silence was that of my Ganges-drenched cloth, swish-swashing with every step. As I passed beyond the site of the large banyan tree near the river bank, a strong impulse urged me to look back. There, under the shade of the banyan, and surrounded by a few disciples, sat the great Babaji!

“‘Greetings, Swamiji!’ The beautiful voice of the master rang out to assure me I was not dreaming. ‘I see you have successfully completed your book. As I promised, I am here to thank you.’

“With a fast-beating heart, I prostrated myself fully at his feet. ‘Param-guruji,’ I said imploringly, ‘will you and your chelas not honor my near-by home with your presence?’

“The supreme guru smilingly declined. ‘No, child,’ he said, ‘we are people who like the shelter of trees; this spot is quite comfortable.’
 — Autobiography of a Yogi

Featured Trees at Guru Kripa Forest Hermitage

Neem (Azadirachta Indica)

Young volunteer neem tree at the Hermitge

A neem tree is one third of the sacred Triveni planting. A few small neem seedlings are also growing at the Hermitage as ‘volunteers’ — as Ananda Village’s early gardening guru, Haanel Cassidy would call stray seedlings that come up on their own.

Neem is the premier healing tree of India and is used to treat many different illnesses. The leaves are commonly eaten every day as a tonic. In Autobiography of a Yogi, Yogananda wrote about eating a few of the bitter leaves at a meal with Mahatma Gandhi, described here:

“The Mahatma ate chapatis, boiled beets, some raw vegetables, and oranges. On the side of his plate was a large lump of very bitter neem leaves, a notable blood cleanser. With his spoon he separated a portion and placed it on my dish. I bolted it down with water, remembering childhood days when Mother had forced me to swallow the disagreeable dose. Gandhi, however, bit by bit was eating the neem paste with as much relish as if it had been a delicious sweetmeat.”

Neem has been used for its spiritual benefits since ancient times, including in the region in north India where the Hermitage is being built. Neem amulets have been discovered at the ancient Indus Vally civilization site of Mohenjo Daro (in the Punjab region).

In south India, neem trees are often decorated with garlands and kumkum — worshiped as Vana Durga, the forest goddess. In Varanasi, many people worship neem trees as aspects of the Goddess Durga. The tree is also seen as a form of Kali called Neemari Devi. Sheetala is another Goddess who is worshiped in the form of the neem tree.

Lahiri Mahasaya made an oil from neem leaves to give to people for healing, described in Autobiography of a Yogi:

“In accordance with ancient custom, the master gave to people in general a neem oil for the cure of various diseases. When the guru requested a disciple to distil the oil, he could easily accomplish the task. If anyone else tried, he would encounter strange difficulties, finding that the medicinal oil had almost evaporated after going through the required distilling processes. Evidently the master’s blessing was a necessary ingredient.” 

Neem seeds and the oil made from them are used as a natural insecticide by farmers and gardeners. Neem cake is used as a fertilizer and compost.

There are far too many uses for neem to go into here. It’s why neem is referred to as sarva roga nivarini — curer of all illnesses.